When Sheffield Wednesday were placed into administration on October 24, it marked the end of Dejphon Chansiri’s controversial ownership of the club.
His contempt for the fanbase ultimately proved to be his downfall. He never understood Wednesday or what it means to their loyal supporters.
Wednesday fans undoubtedly deserve a massive pat on the back for going the extra mile to force Chansiri out of the club.
Their efforts serve as a reminder of the power of community – a factor that has become increasingly lost in English football over the past few decades.
Football clubs are important local institutions that foster identity, togetherness and pride. Chansiri failed to recognise this.
Thankfully, it appears the people tasked with guiding Wednesday into a new era appreciate the importance of local fans.
A video posted on the club’s social media accounts yesterday expertly captured the relationship between locals and the club they support.
‘A 40-year love affair that we can’t escape from’ and ‘despite everything, it means happiness’ are amongst the ways fans describe their feelings for Wednesday.
Sheffield musician Joe Carnall Jnr’s comments towards the end of the video perfectly sum up what the club means to the blue half of the city.
“My grandad passed away three or four years ago now,” he said. “Every time we used to go around, we’d have a ten or fifteen-minute chat about Sheffield Wednesday in his kitchen.
“Family as well, because I come with my dad. I see my brother, and it always gives us something to talk about. To me, Sheffield Wednesday means family.”
That underlying ethos of ‘family’ has given Wednesday fans the chance to enjoy a more productive future.
Regardless of who you support, the persistence they showed in the fight to get Chansiri out of the club should be applauded.
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What to watch
Tonight’s football line-up is pretty underwhelming. Roll on tomorrow.
